Billingsley became the first Dodger to begin the season 7-0
since Matt Herges turned the trick with an 8-0 run in 2000.

Billingsley recorded his first career complete game and did not
allow a run until Luke Scott hit a two-run home run with two
outs in the ninth.

The second-year hurler struck out six and walked three, keeping
the Astros off-balance by staying ahead in the count and getting
outs with his fastball and curveball.

"I had pretty good command of my fastball," Billingsley said. "I
wasn't trying to do too much, just move the ball in and out and
mix in some curves. I was getting ahead of hitters and that
helped.

"I knew I had a chance (at the shutout) in the seventh inning.
I told myself to just keep doing what I've been doing. You
never know about that when you come out in the first inning.
You don't try to get too far ahead of yourself or try to do too
much. You just go one out at a time."

Kent, who played for the Astros in 2004-05, went 4-for-4 with
two doubles and two RBI before he was lifted for a pinch runner
after recording his second double in the seventh inning.

Kent, who has reached base in 34 straight games, had his first
four-hit game since September 18 when he also had four against
the San Diego Padres.

Houston-area native James Loney added a three-run homer in the
ninth inning off Brian Moehler to round out the scoring for the
Dodgers, who out-hit the Astros, 17-5.

"It felt great to hit the home run," Loney said. "This is the
first time I've played (at Minute Maid) since playing in the
regional playoffs in high school. It was fun. Getting an
opportunity to play here was a great experience.

"We scored a lot of runs and this was a good win for us. Chad
threw a great game."

The NL West-leading Dodgers will play their next six games on
the road and started their seven-game tour through Houston and
Colorado by beating up the Astros, who had won 10 of their last
14 home games.

Before Monday, the Dodgers had lost three of four and four of
six after winning four in a row for the first time since
mid-June.

Billingsley got out of his biggest jam in the fifth inning when
Eric Munson led off with a single and moved into scoring
position when Eric Bruntlett followed with a walk.

Pinch hitter Morgan Ensberg hit a harmless flyout to left before
catcher Russell Martin picked off Bruntlett with a snap throw
over to first base. Billingsley then blew a fastball by Craig
Biggio to end the threat sending the home team back on the field
to a chorus of boos.

"That was a pretty good example of what he's capable of,"
Dodgers manager Grady Little said of Billingsley. "That was one
of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen and one of the
first times I've ever been the happiest guy in the world to see
a guy go 0-for-5 (at the plate).

"It came at a good time for us. It was what we needed to get
back on track."

The Dodgers manufactured a run in the first inning when Kent
singled home Rafael Furcal who led off the game with a single
off Houston starter Chris Sampson (7-7).

Kent hit a one-out double in the fourth inning and then moved to
third on a ground out by Luis Gonzalez. With Nomar Garciaparra
at the plate, Sampson uncorked a wild pitch scoring Kent to
make it 2-0.

The Dodgers doubled their lead in the fifth inning with four
singles off Sampson. With two outs, Furcal and Juan Pierre
scored on a single to center by Gonzalez, giving Billingsley
plenty of room to work with against the Astros, who have scored
just six runs in their last four games.

"I thought after we were just about shut down for three straight
days we were about ready to bust out of this," Astros manager
Phil Garner said. "But Billingsley certainly was doing
something right out there. He was doing it mostly with a
fastball, but he was hitting with his cutter or short slider or
whatever he calls it."

For the first time in seven starts at Minute Maid Park, Sampson
failed to pitch into the sixth inning. Entering Monday's game,
he was 3-2 with a 2.83 in Houston, but he left after just five
innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. He did not strike out
or walk a batter.

"There is not much to feel good about tonight," Sampson said.
"When you give up four runs in five innings, you can't exactly
call that good pitching. I kept leaving my sinker up a little
bit and I wasn't able to locate other pitches to get ahead of
hitters."

Four straight hits by the Dodgers in the seventh made it 7-0.
Martin, Kent and Gonzalez hit consecutive doubles before
Garciaparra added another hit, capping a three-run inning off
Houston reliever Dave Borkowski.

NLAT HOUSTON - SCORING UPDATETHREE-RUN HOME RUN BY JAMES LONEY (4) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN THE 9TH OFF BRIAN MOEHLER SCORED RAMON MARTINEZ AND NOMAR GARCIAPARRA.CURRENT SCORE: LA DODGERS 10, HOUSTON 0DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: A ETHIER (.295, 1-FOR-3, BB)